Closing the Leadership Gap: How District and University Partnerships Shape Effective School Leaders

The state of educational leadership, the preparedness and efficacy of today's school leaders, and the strengths and weaknesses of leadership preparation programs are all topics under continual scrutiny in both practice and research. What happens when schools and districts work together to bring out the best in school leaders and then harness those elements in "best practice" in both practice and research? Experts in school-university partnerships for leadership development, the authors seek to build a bridge between practice and theory by: illustrating what effective leadership looks like, how to cultivate it and sustain it, and how to center today's leadership preparation curriculum on effective leadership so that a higher percentage of future school leaders remain in education. This book includes: - field-tested tools, templates, and forms - school-university program leadership development tools that are research-based - strategies that can be used and applied in any leadership development endeavor - performance assessment tools and documentation - school leader voices and reflections throughout